MBSS Site Summary for: LPAX-117-R-2017

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site LPAX-117-R-2017-MidpointLookingDownstream (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site LPAX-117-R-2017-MidpointLookingUpstream (Opens in a new window)

Located on UT Little Patuxent River in the Little Patuxent River watershed, 8-digit code: 02131105.
This stream was visited in the spring on 4/5/2017 and again in the summer on 6/21/2017.

Index of Biotic Integrity (IBI) Results:

An Index of Biotic Integrity (IBI) is a scientific tool used to identify and classify stream health. An IBI associates anthropogenic influences on a stream or with biological condition in the stream, and is formulated using data developed from biosurveys.
Details on the development and application of MBSS IBIs are in this document.
Fish IBI Fair - 3.0 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Poor - 2.7 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 1,133 acres A highly channelized urban stream with concrete banks. An example of a highly channelized urban stream.
Urban Land Use 70.3 %
Agricultural Land Use 4.6 %
Forested Land Use 23.7 %


Stream showing woody debris, logs, and rocky substrate.
An example of woody debris in a stream.

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 10/20 (Marginal)
Epifaunal Substrate 4/20 (Poor)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 5/20 (Poor)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 10 meters 		8/20 (Marginal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 65 meters 		8/20 (Marginal)
Shading 60 %
Embeddedness 60 %
The embeddedness, a measure of silt on the stream bottom, was 60%. This is relatively high, and may exclude some biota.


Stream Water Quality:
pH (lab) 6.82
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		548.6 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 5.2966 mg/L

Biological Stream Condition:

Surveys of the organisms living within a stream can give indications of stream health. Species richness, or the number of different species present, as well as indicator species (species whose presence, absence or abundance can serve as a measure of environmental conditions) are informative for stream health. 		Close-up of a mayfly indicator species.

Fish Survey Results:
The following 9 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Blacknose Dace 80
Redbreast Sunfish 57
Green Sunfish 42
Creek Chub 17
Eastern Mudminnow 14
Eastern Mosquitofish 7
Bluegill 2
Largemouth Bass 2
American Eel 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Northern Green Frog

Crayfish:
Procambarus sp.

Exotic Plants:
English Ivy
Japanese Honeysuckle
Japanese Stiltgrass
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
POLYPEDILUM Non-Biting Midges 33
ORTHOCLADIUS Non-Biting Midges 20
HYDROBAENUS Midge 8
NAIDIDAE Aquatic Worm 6
TANYTARSUS Non-Biting Midges 6
MICROTENDIPES Non-Biting Midges 5
ORTHOCLADIINAE Midge 4
TUBIFICIDAE Aquatic Worm 4
PHYSA Air-Breathing Freshwater Snail 3
PARATENDIPES European Non-Biting Midge 3
THIENEMANNIMYIA GROUP Non-Biting Midges 3
TANYPODINAE Non-Biting Midges 3
TANYTARSINI Non-Biting Midges 2
POTTHASTIA Non-Biting Midges 2
RHEOTANYTARSUS Non-Biting Midges 2
STENELMIS Beetle 2
SIMULIUM Black Fly 2
CHIRONOMUS Non-Biting Midges 2
DICROTENDIPES Non-Biting Midges 1
COENAGRIONIDAE Narrowwinged Damselfly 1
ARGIA Narrow-Winged Damselfly 1
ABLABESMYIA Non-Biting Midge 1
CHIRONOMINI Non-Biting Midge 1
TIPULA Crane Fly 1
ISOTOMURUS Elongate-Bodied Springtail 1
MUSCULIUM Fingernail Clam 1
GIRARDIA Freshwater Flatworm 1
PROCAMBARUS 1
Kick net sampling for macroinvertebrates.
Sampling with a kick net.

Information disclaimer: The information and data on this page is for guidance and general planning purposes only. It should not be used to make decisions on specific matters.